Green eggs, no ham: A post-holiday restorative breakfast

After a major food-focused holiday sometimes I like to eat a bit lighter for a spell, trying to focus on the veggies and lean proteins that may have been conspicuously absent from my carb and gravy laden plate. Eggs nestled in sautéed greens is one such recipe. Perfect for restoring order to your body while still fueling you through the morning.

And I don’t know about you, but I feel mighty accomplished if I’ve eaten dark leafy greens before noon. It leaves me with one less thing to worry about over the course of the day. Like exercising first thing in the morning. You get to feel healthy and righteous all day long, never worrying you might not get around to it later. But this is easier and yummier than working out.

This dish is also a great choice for those avoiding carbs or gluten. If you want to add those elements back into the breakfast, just serve this with toast or tortillas. Either way, it’s satisfying and very healthy.

Can you believe people routinely throw these away? I used to be one of them. Not anymore!

**Extra frugal tip: If you shop at a farmer’s market, you may be able to get beet greens for free. Many customers ask for them to be removed when they buy beets. Just ask the vendor nicely if they have some beet greens abandoned by other customers, and you may score some free greens. Others’ loss is your gain!

3. Mince the garlic. When the oil is hot, add the garlic to the pan. Cook for one minute, stirring so as not to burn.

4. Add the greens. Stir to coat and let them gently sauté until softened but not fully cooked (2 minutes or so). Salt and pepper to taste and stir again. Turn the heat down to medium.

5. Push the greens aside creating four holes for the eggs. Break your eggs and gently drop directly into each hole. Cover the frying pan so the top of the eggs will cook, too. (I used a cookie sheet to cover as my frying pan was too large for my lids.) Check the eggs after several minutes and shut off the heat when they have reached your preferred level of doneness.

Improvised lidFirm white + runny yolk = Done!!

Serve with additional salt and pepper to season the eggs to each person’s taste.